Mobile computing devices, such as smartphones and tablets, may require users to authenticate themselves to the device before allowing the user to perform various actions. For example, a smartphone lock screen may require the user to enter a PIN to unlock the smartphone, and may also require the user to enter passwords at various other points during usage of the smartphone. This may result in frequent interruption of the user's use of the mobile computing device, as the user has to stop whatever action they were attempting in order to authenticate themselves to the device. The user may also set security preferences so that the mobile computing device doesn't present certain prompts for authorization. For example, a smartphone's user may set preferences that prevent the smartphone from requesting a PIN to unlock the smartphone. This may streamline the user's experience, as the user may see fewer interruptions, but may make the mobile computing device less secure, as any other user could unlock and use the smartphone.
There may be many alternative ways for a user to change the settings of their mobile computing device to prevent requests for the user to authenticate themselves. Password and PIN entry, active and passive biometric identification, and location based security may all be used. Because each form of authentication may be separate, it may be difficult for the user to manage which forms of authentication are in use at a given time. The user may also have difficulty determining when a particular form of authentication has been used to determine that the user does not need to provide further authentication to perform an action such as unlocking the device.